Bovine Tuberculosis: Kent

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cases of bovine TB were confirmed in Kent in each of the last 10 years.

James Paice: There were fewer than 10 confirmed reactor cattle slaughtered under bovine tuberculosis (TB) control measures in Kent in each of the last 10 years. For data protection reasons, we do not disclose figures that total fewer than 10, as this may lead to identification of individual cases.
	Note:
	Data are provisional and subject to change as more data becomes available.
	Source:
	DEFRA’s Animal Health Database (Vetnet)

Forests

Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of users of public forests were (a) walkers, (b) cyclists and (c) horse riders in the latest period for which figures are available.

James Paice: The Forestry Commission has collected data at its principle recreation sites through on-site surveys since 2003.
	Average figures from these surveys show that in England from 2003-09:
	(a) 63% of visitors go for a walk;
	(b) 32% of visitors ride a bike; and
	(c) Horse riding visits are estimated at less than 1% of total visits.

Livestock: Transport

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with her European counterparts on the resumption of the transport of live animals in 2011; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: DEFRA Ministers have had no discussions with their European counterparts on the resumption in 2011 of the transport of five animals for the purposes of further fattening and slaughter. This is a separate trade from the transport of animals for breeding purposes.
	Although we would prefer to see animals slaughtered as close as practicable to their point of production, the trade in live animals between member states of the European Union is legitimate and is governed by Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005.
	The European Commission is conducting a review of Regulation 1/2005 and the UK continues to provide the necessary input into this review. In preparation for the eventual publication of any formal proposal to amend the legislation, we will continue to engage with key stakeholders in order to build an evidence-base and gauge views/opinions on the Regulation's implementation and how it might be improved.

Crime

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) prosecutions have been brought and (b) fixed penalty notices have been issued by (i) police and (ii) local authorities for (A) fly-tipping, (B) graffiti, (C) dog fouling, (D) the dropping of litter and (E) parking offences in each year since 2008.

Crispin Blunt: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 17 March 2011, Official Report, column 558W, for the requested information on the number of prosecutions.
	Regarding the information requested on fixed penalty notices, please note that a penalty notice for disorder (PND) may be issued for offences of criminal damage (which includes graffiti) and littering. See Table 1 for the number of persons aged 16 and over issued with a PND for these offences in England and Wales for 2008 and 2009.
	PND data for 2010 are planned for publication on 26 May 2011.
	The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) publish data on fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for offences listed in parts (B) to (D) of the question. FPNs cannot be issued for fly-tipping. Police community support officers can issue FPNs on behalf of the local authority and these are included in the aggregated figure provided by each local authority to DEFRA. The available information on the number of FPNs issued, by offence type, in England for 2007-08 and 2008-09 can be viewed in Table 2. DEFRA advise that this data collection is now discontinued.
	The Home Office advise that information for parking offences in 2008 and 2009 is published in chapter 3 of the Home Office Statistical Bulletin "Police Powers and Procedures 2009/10", a copy of which can be found in the Library of the House. Fixed penalty notice data for 2010 are due to be published in 2011.
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of persons aged 16 and over issued with a penalty notice for disorder for criminal damage and depositing and leaving litter offences, England and Wales, 2008 and 2009   (1) 
			  2008 2009 
			 Criminal damage (under £500) 13,427 10,145 
			 Depositing and leaving litter 1,202 1,148 
			 (1) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source:  Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Number of fixed penalty notices issued in England, 2007-08 and 2008-09 
			 (B) Graffiti 
			 Reporting year (April to March) Number 
			 2008-09 119 
			 2007-08 138 
		
	
	
		
			 (C) Dog fouling 
			 Reporting year (April to March) Number 
			 2008-09 2,071 
			 2007-08 2,079 
		
	
	
		
			 (D) Litter 
			 Reporting year (April to March) Number 
			 2008-09 35,465 
			 2007-08 33,693 
			 Source:  Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Prison Service: Violence

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Prison Service's policy on zero tolerance on violence;
	(2)  what checks are in place to ensure the accuracy of reporting of assaults on Prison Service staff.

Crispin Blunt: NOMS is folly committed to zero tolerance to violence in prisons. No act of violence is acceptable, be it verbal, physical or directed at property. Zero tolerance is a proactive approach to reducing violence in all its forms, in our prisons, and is subject to ongoing and robust monitoring.
	The Incident Reporting System (IRS, now integrated onto the NOMIS system) is used to record events that undermine the safety of those within an establishment. Assaults are one category of IRS data. The data-entry process is largely reliant on each establishment accurately recording incidents as they occur.
	Every assault incident entered onto NOMIS is subject to a central check to ensure that the incident has been reported correctly on the reporting system. If the incident has been reported incorrectly then the establishment is contacted and asked to rectify the error. Once the incident has been entered correctly it is locked and the establishment is no longer able to modify the incident report without contacting NOMS HQ. At regular intervals NOMS HQ will follow up any outstanding incidents with establishments to ensure they are captured accurately and in full.
	NOMS uses NOMIS data to undertake quarterly monitoring on levels of violence, referrals to the police and the number of successful prosecutions.
	NOMS is committed to open reporting and since 2009 data on violence in prisons has been published in the Ministry of Justice Safety in Custody statistics.

COE Commissioner for Human Rights

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  with reference to the issue of the paper on Criminalisation of migration in Europe: human rights implications issued by the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, CommDH/Issue Paper (2010)1, whether (a) the Government and (b) the EU is considering any changes to immigration-related policies as a consequence of the issue paper and its recommendations;
	(2)  whether her Department has responded to the issue paper on Criminalisation of migration in Europe: human rights implications issued by the Commissioner of Human Rights of the Council of Europe, CommDH/Issue Paper (2010)1; and what assessment she has made of each conclusion and recommendation.

Damian Green: The Issue Paper mentioned was commissioned and published by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr Thomas Hammarberg, following a seminar organised by the Commissioner's Office in Paris on 24-25 September 2009. The paper was issued “for the purpose of contributing to debate or further reflection” and does not necessarily reflect the position of the Commissioner.
	The Government are not considering any changes to immigration policies as a consequence of the paper and is not aware of any discussion or consideration of policy changes in the EU based on the paper. There is no obligation on Member Governments of the Council of Europe to take any follow up action on such papers and accordingly the Government has not responded to the paper, nor carried out a detailed assessment of its recommendations. The Government will continue to take firm action against illegal immigration whilst ensuring full respect of the human rights of individual migrants and of international obligations regarding the protection of genuine refugees.

Crimes of Violence

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of incidents of violence against the person resulted in (a) no injuries, (b) a minor bruise or black eye, (c) severe bruising, (d) scratches, (e) cuts, (f) broken bones, (g) a broken nose, (h) broken or lost teeth, (i) concussion and (j) facial or head injuries in each police force area in England and Wales in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of incidents of violence against the person involved (a) a knife, (b) a hitting implement, (c) a glass or bottle, (d) a stabbing implement, (e) a firearm, (f) a stone or stones, (g) a syringe and (h) another implement in each police force area in England and Wales in each year since 2008;
	(3)  how many and what proportion of offenders involved in violent incidents were recorded as having been under the influence of (a) drugs and (b) drink in each police force area in each year since 1997.

James Brokenshire: There are two main sources of official statistics on crime in England and Wales; the British Crime Survey (BCS) and police recorded crime. The information requested is not available by police force area from the BCS; and police recorded crime data, which is available at police force area level, does not generally provide the level of detailed information requested.
	Estimates for England and Wales of the number and/or proportion of violent incidents from the BCS since 1997 for (a) injury sustained, (b)weapon used and (c) where the victim believed the offender(s) to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs appear in the annual statistical bulletin ‘Crime in England and Wales 2009/10’ (Tables 3.02, 3.09 and 3.20), a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.
	Figures for the number of offences recorded by the police involving firearms (excluding air weapons) by police force area appear in the publication “Homicides, Firearm Offences and Intimate Violence 2009/10” (Table 2.11), a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library. The Home Office has collected data on selected offences involving the use of a knife or sharp instrument via a special additional data collection since April 2007. The data for actual bodily harm (ABH) and Grievous bodily harm (GBH) offences in England and Wales involving a knife or a sharp instrument for 2008-09 and 2009-10 appear in “Crime in England and Wales 2009/10” (Tables 7.13 and 7.14).
	The additional information requested is not available by police force area from offences recorded by the police.
	Figures from the police recorded crime series for England and Wales since 1997 for all violent offences (including violence against the person), appear in the annual statistical bulletin ‘Crime in England and Wales 2009/10’ (Table 2.04).

Illegal Immigrants: Employment

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Birkenhead of 7 March 2011, Official Report, columns 872-3W, on illegal immigrants: employment, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the penalties levied are collected.

Damian Green: An employer has 28 days to pay an illegal working civil penalty or to submit an objection or appeal. If a penalty remains unpaid after the objection and/or appeal process the UK Border Agency refer the case for internal debt recovery action. If the penalty remains unpaid after the internal process the Agency works with a specialist third party debt recovery partner to enforce outstanding penalties. Recovery action may include but is not restricted to Court enforcement proceedings.

Knives: Crime

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many knives have been recovered in knife amnesty initiatives in each police force area in each of the last 10 years.

James Brokenshire: Data on local police force area knife amnesty initiatives is not held by the Home Office. The last national knife amnesty was held in England and Wales between 24 May and 30 June 2006. A knife amnesty was held in Scotland from 25 May 2006 for one month and Northern Ireland from 25 May 2006 for three weeks.
	According to figures supplied by the police, this national amnesty resulted in over 89,000 items being handed in.

Marriage of Convenience

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many suspected sham marriages were referred to the UK Borders Agency by marriage registrars and clergy in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many such referrals resulted in prosecutions for offences under immigration legislation.

Damian Green: S24 and s24A of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 places a legal duty on civil registrars to report any reasonable suspicions they may have that a marriage or civil partnership is or may be a sham marriage, these are known as s24 reports. The Anglican Church in England and Wales operates its own system of preliminaries and its clergy are not under the same legal obligation to report suspicions as civil registrars, although they are strongly encouraged to do so voluntarily, the Agency does not hold data on the number of reports that come from members of the Anglican clergy.
	The Agency received 934 s24 reports from civil registrars during 2010, however as s24 reports represent a suspicion rather than a definite finding and do not include the Anglican church in England and Wales this figure can be not be seen as an absolute representation of the number of sham marriages in the UK.
	Since January 2010 two periods of targeted enforcement actions have been conducted against those involved in sham marriages which resulted in 155 arrests. As entering in a sham marriage, in itself, is not a crime it is not possible to obtain definitive information on how many people have been prosecuted for involvement in sham marriages

Police: Manpower

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the percentage change in the number of special constables serving in each police force area in England and Wales has been since March 2010.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 26 April 2011
	Data on special constable strength by police force area as at 30 September and 31 March 2010 with percentage changes over the six months period are given in the table.
	Some forces figures may be affected by seasonality as it is not a percentage change over a 12-month period. Figures for March 2011 will be available on 21 July 2011.
	
		
			 Special constable strength by English Government office regions and Wales (headcount)  (1) 
			  Special constables 
			  Strength as at  : Change in 6 months 
			  March 2010 September 2010 March 2010 September 2010 
			 English Government Office Regions and Wales Number Number Number Percentage 
			 North East 547 561 14 2.6 
			 Cleveland 238 242 4 1.7 
			 Durham 131 132 1 0.8 
			 Northumbria 178 187 9 5.1 
			      
			 North West 1,731 1,878 147 8.5 
			 Cheshire 300 360 60 20.0 
			 Cumbria 115 139 24 20.9 
			 Greater Manchester 400 451 51 12.8 
			 Lancashire 470 462 -8 -1.7 
			 Merseyside 446 466 20 4.5 
			      
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 1,173 1,193 20 1.7 
			 Humberside 341 340 -1 -0.3 
			 North Yorkshire 184 187 3 1.6 
			 South Yorkshire 227 218 -9 -4.0 
			 West Yorkshire 421 448 27 6.4 
			      
			 East Midlands 1,183 1,188 5 0.4 
			 Derbyshire 302 297 -5 -1.7 
			 Leicestershire 240 219 -21 -8.8 
			 Lincolnshire 163 163 0 0.0 
			 Northamptonshire 180 228 48 26.7 
			 Nottinghamshire 298 281 -17 -5.7 
			      
			 West Midlands 1,370 1,468 98 7.2 
			 Staffordshire 334 395 61 18.3 
			 Warwickshire 212 205 -7 -3.3 
			 West Mercia 233 256 23 9.9 
			 West Midlands 591 612 21 3.6 
			      
			 Eastern 1,997 2,092 95 4.8 
			 Bedfordshire 210 225 15 7.1 
			 Cambridgeshire 167 189 22 13.2 
			 Essex 682 679 -3 -0.4 
		
	
	
		
			 Hertfordshire 344 393 49 14.2 
			 Norfolk 266 273 7 2.6 
			 Suffolk 328 333 5 1.5 
			      
			 London 3,256 4,023 767 23.6 
			 London, City of 79 79 0 0.0 
			 Metropolitan Police 3,177 3,944 767 24.1 
			      
			 South East 1,734 1,831 97 5.6 
			 Hampshire 449 450 1 0.2 
			 Kent 310 284 -26 -8.4 
			 Surrey 327 347 20 6.1 
			 Sussex 240 277 37 15.4 
			 Thames Valley 408 473 65 15.9 
			      
			 South West 1,758 1,793 35 2.0 
			 Avon & Somerset 449 461 12 2.7 
			 Devon & Cornwall 592 632 40 6.8 
			 Dorset 300 310 10 3.3 
			 Gloucestershire 167 162 -5 -3.0 
			 Wiltshire 250 228 -22 -8.8 
			      
			 Wales 756 745 -11 -1.5 
			 Dyfed-Powys 171 170 -1 -0.6 
			 Gwent 144 144 0 0.0 
			 North Wales 193 217 24 12.4 
			 South Wales 248 214 -34 -13.7 
			      
			 Total of all 43 forces 15,505 16,772 1,267 8.2 
			 British Transport Police 176 191 15 8.5 
			 Total Special constable Strength 15,681 16,963 1,282 8.2 
			 Total Special constable Strength (excluding BTP) 15,505 16,772 1,267 8.2 
			 (1) Police constable figures are given as headcount measure.

Employment Schemes

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the awarding of Scottish contracts to private companies as part of the Work Programme.

David Mundell: The Secretary of State for Scotland has discussed the outcome of the Work Programme contracting process with Work and Pensions ministerial colleagues on several occasions in recent weeks.

Employment Schemes

Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions before the awarding of Work Programme contracts covering Scotland.

David Mundell: Over the past year, the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have had numerous discussions related to the Work Programme with ministerial colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions.

Employment Schemes

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met representatives of the Scottish voluntary sector to discuss work programme contracts; and what the outcome was of those discussions.

Michael Moore: I discussed the Work programme with representatives of the Scottish voluntary sector at a meeting with key stakeholders on Thursday 7 April. I invited the Minister of State for Employment, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling), to address that meeting and he encouraged Work programme providers, who were also in attendance, to engage effectively with the voluntary sector in Scotland in the delivery of the programme.

Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisations Summit

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Prime Minister whether he plans to attend the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisations summit in June 2011.

David Cameron: I am pleased that the Government are hosting the Global Alliances for Vaccines and Immunisations summit this June. This is an important moment for the international community to come together to help GAVI meet their ambitious plans to vaccinate 250 million children by 2015. For security reasons, my engagements are announced as and when appropriate.

Affordable Housing

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of his Department's performance against objectives for efficiency savings in respect of affordable housing in 2009-10.

Andrew Stunell: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the right hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Danny Alexander), to my hon. Friend the Member for Southport (John Pugh) on 15 November 2010, Official Report, column 615-16W, which referred to a more specific and innovative approach to efficiency and reform across the public sector. As a result of this Departments were no longer required to report against the previous Government's efficiency targets.
	That notwithstanding, at the comprehensive spending review 2007, the Department was set a target to achieve £887 million value for money savings by 2010-11, made up of £734 million savings in affordable housing, £110 million in Fire and Rescue, and £43 million in administration. Provisional figures indicate that only £128 million of affordable housing savings were actually delivered.

Local Government: Pensions

Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what account was taken of planned increases in employees' contributions to the Local Government Pension Scheme in the local authority grant settlement for (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14 and (c) 2014-15; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: Decisions about the overall level of Government grant to local government are taken in spending reviews.
	The Local Government settlement in the 2010 spending review was determined in the context of the overall level of affordable public spending, consistent with the Government's aim of tackling the fiscal deficit. It took into account a wide range of factors which will affect local authority budgets over the period.
	The Government announced at the spending review that they accepted the view of the Independent Public Service Pensions-Commission that there is a clear rationale for public servants to make a greater contribution if their pensions are to remain fair to taxpayers and employees, and affordable for the country.
	The cost of the Local Government Pension Scheme to taxpayers has risen from £1.5 billion in 1997-98 to £5.8 billion in 2009 -10. In this context, it is right and fair to take steps to protect local taxpayers from the cost of further increases.

Non-Domestic Rates: Milton Keynes

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many businesses in Milton Keynes were (a) eligible for and (b) received small business rate relief in the last year for which figures are available.

Bob Neill: Milton Keynes council reported on their National non-domestic rates (NNDR1) budget form that 1,048 hereditaments were in receipt of a discount from the small business rate relief scheme as at 31 December 2009, A further 2:84 hereditaments were only paying the small business rate multiplier without being granted a discount. Information on numbers of businesses eligible for the relief is not held centrally.
	The Government are taking steps through the Localism Bill to help automate the take-up of small business rate relief.

Vacant Land: Property Development

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to paragraph 2.21 of The Plan for Growth, March 2011, what assessment he has made of the effect of the removal of targets for levels of development on previously developed land on future levels of development on greenfield sites.

Bob Neill: The Government will, through the National Planning Framework (NPPF), localise choice about the use of previously developed land by removing the national target for the amount of housing development that should take place on previously developed land, and at the same time providing for local communities to be able to identify and protect green space of importance.
	We will consult on the draft National Planning Policy Framework in the summer. A draft impact assessment will be published for consultation alongside the National Planning Policy Framework.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his most recent estimate is of the cost to the public purse of military action in Afghanistan since 2001.

Liam Fox: holding answer 28 April 2011
	The annual audited figures for the costs of operations in Afghanistan since financial year 2001-02 are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Operations in Afghanistan 
			 £ million 
			  2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 Total spend to date 
			 Resource 187 236 36 58 148 560 1,071 1,655 2,330 6,281 
			 Capital costs 34 75 10 9 51 178 433 968 1,491 3,249 
			 Total 221 311 46 67 199 738 1,504 2,623 3,821 9,530 
		
	
	The estimated cost of operations in Afghanistan for financial year 2010-11 are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Operations in Afghanistan 
			  2010-11 Estimate (£ million) 
			 Resource 3,101 
			 Capital costs 1,390 
			 Annually managed expenditure 6 
			 Total estimated costs 4,497

Armed Forces: Pensions

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people resident in (a) Glenrothes constituency and (b) Fife are in receipt of (i) a war pension and (ii) payments from the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.

Andrew Robathan: The War Pension Scheme (WPS) provides no fault compensation to former service personnel and their dependants for illness, injury or death as a result of service from the start of the first world war in 1914 up until 5 April 2005.
	As at 30 September 2010 (the latest date for which figures are available), 205 individuals in the parliamentary constituency of Glenrothes, and 1,495 individuals in Fife were receiving an ongoing pension under the WPS.
	The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) was introduced on 6 April 2005 to provide compensation to service personnel and their dependants for illness, injury or death as a result of service from this date.
	As at 31 December 2010 (the latest date for which figures are available), less than five individuals in the parliamentary constituency of Glenrothes, and 45 individuals in Fife were awarded lump sum compensation payments under the AFCS. No individuals in the parliamentary constituency of Glenrothes and less than five individuals in Fife were receiving either guaranteed income payments (GIP) or survivor’s guaranteed income payments (SGIP) under the AFCS.
	Notes:
	1. Guaranteed income payment (GIP)—regular payment to service person to provide a continuous income stream.
	2. Survivor’s guaranteed income payment (SGIP)—regular payment to surviving dependant(s) to provide continuous financial support.
	3. In accordance with DASA’s rounding policy, all figures of five or more have been rounded to the nearest five and figures fewer than five have been suppressed.

Ex-servicemen: Employment

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to help former military service personnel find civilian employment.

Andrew Robathan: Prior to discharge, individual employment needs are identified from a mandatory interview with a trained service resettlement adviser who is able to signpost a number of organisations and services ranging from the ‘Flexible New Deal’ programme available at Jobcentre Plus to workshops and training delivered through the Career Transition Partnership. For those who have left, lifetime job finding support is available through the Officers' Association or the Regular Forces Employment Association. There are also various regimental associations, for example RAJA (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineer (REME) Association Job Agency) that provide further help for former soldiers of certain regiments.
	In addition, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has been working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions and armed forces champions have been appointed that aim to ensure Jobcentre Plus staff are providing the correct advice and support, not only to families of our armed forces but also to former service personnel. We shall also be conducting an early service leaver trial later this year (for those who leave with less than four year's service) which aims to improve the resettlement provision for this cohort.

Ex-servicemen: Travel

Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements are in place to enable servicemen and women who are discharged whilst overseas to travel home.

Andrew Robathan: Service personnel whose service is terminated at their own request are not entitled to travel home at public expense unless they have completed more than four years service. In all other instances of termination or discharge, service persons (and their accompanying immediate family members) may travel home at public expense subject to the following rules:
	When service personnel are discharged from overseas and choose to settle in the UK, they will be entitled to travel at public expense from their last place of duty to a selected place of residence in the UK (or the Republic of Ireland, if they were recruited from, or would normally live there).
	When service personnel are discharged from overseas and choose to settle overseas, they will be entitled to travel at public expense from their last place of duty to the overseas location of their choice. However, if they choose to settle in a country that is more distant than the UK, the travel costs that they may claim are limited to the equivalent cost of travel to the UK.
	Additionally, service personnel who were attested overseas, and who were then conveyed to the UK at public expense may be returned to the country in which they were attested also at public expense on termination of their service.

Business: Universities

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many meetings representatives of his Department held with senior university staff in each month in 2011 at which the relationship between universities and business was discussed;
	(2)  how many meetings his Department had with representatives of the business community in each month in 2011 at which the relationship between universities and business was discussed;
	(3)  how many meetings his Department held with senior regional development agency staff in each month in 2011 at which the relationship between universities and business was discussed.

Danny Alexander: holding answer 28 April 2011
	Treasury Ministers and officials regularly meet with representatives from a wide range of public and private sector organisations, including the business community, regional development agencies and university sector. Such engagement occurs throughout policy development and implementation. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such meetings and discussions.

Construction Industry Scheme

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the likely effects of the abolition of the Construction Industry Scheme team on (a) the incidence of employees being wrongly designated as self-employed and (b) levels of revenue accruing to the Exchequer; what the outcome of that assessment was; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the assessment;
	(2)  what risk analysis his Department conducted in respect of the proposed abolition of the Construction Industry Scheme team; what the outcome of that analysis was; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the analysis.

David Gauke: The Construction Industry Team was not abolished, but continues under a different structure within local compliance.
	The analysis was built from a number of intelligence briefings and strategic intelligence assessments which were protectively marked and only to be viewed with the permission of the author. It would not be appropriate to place the analysis in the Library.

Departmental Work Experience

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many students from (a) the UK and (b) Bassetlaw constituency have been offered internships in his Department since 8 May 2010.

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what advice his Department provides to those wishing to (a) work as an intern, (b) undertake a work experience placement and (c) work as a volunteer in his Department.

Justine Greening: HM Treasury does not have its own scheme for work experience or internships, but participates in schemes run centrally by the Cabinet Office. Any individuals enquiring about internships are directed to the schemes in operation at the time, including Summer Diversity Internships and Government Economics Services Internships, and to the civil service website where details are available of internships offered by other Government Departments.
	In respect of the number of UK students offered internships at HM Treasury since 8 May 2010, I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Wavertree (Luciana Berger) on 22 October 2010, Official Report, column 896W. Data on the country of origin and parliamentary constituency of such students is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Excise Duties: Fuels

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how he expects the fuel duty stabiliser introduced in the 2011 Budget will help stabilise petrol and diesel pump prices.

Neil Parish: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will establish a cross-departmental review of the tax incentives offered for biodiesel.

Justine Greening: The fair fuel stabiliser ensures that when oil prices are high, as now, fuel duty will increase by inflation only under the fair fuel stabiliser.
	Biodiesel is supported through the Department for Transport administered Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). Unlike the excise duty system the RTFO is able to distinguish the environmental sustainability of biodiesel supplies and therefore help to safeguard against deforestation and unsustainable impacts on food crop production.

PAYE: Parish Councils

Steve Brine: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the effect on parish council budgets of the recent guidance issued by HM Revenue and Customs requiring such councils to operate the pay as you earn system on income received by parish clerks for the purposes of (a) tax and (b) national insurance contributions.

David Gauke: HMRC do not have an assessment of the effects on Parish councils budgets of operating pay as you earn (PAYE) scheme on payments made to parish clerks.
	HMRC do recognise that employers, particularly small employers operating PAYE for the first time can find it daunting and offers significant help to all employers.
	To help parish councils who need to operate PAYE for the first time HMRC set up a team of specialist advisers on the new employer helpline 08457 143 143 who have been specially briefed to deal with their queries.
	HMRC also produces a free basic PAYE tool for small employers. It contains a calculator that work out the tax due and includes the forms that the parish council would need to run their payroll throughout the year and make annual returns. It will also allow the council to file any starter and leaver forms and their annual return online and this will help mitigate their costs.
	HMRC also offers free workshops at many locations covering all payroll topics.

Revenue and Customs: Correspondence

Steve Brine: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average time taken by HM Revenue and Customs and its predecessor to (a) open mail received and (b) take the action required on the correspondence so received was in (i) each of the last five years and (ii) the last month of each of the last five tax years.

David Gauke: The information requested is available only at disproportionate cost as HMRC does not currently hold this data.

Revenue and Customs: Performance Standards

Katy Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the length of time taken for HM Revenue and Customs to process (a) probate cases in England and Wales and (b) confirmation cases in Scotland; and if he will assess the potential effects on bereaved families of the time taken to process such cases.

David Gauke: HMRC is not involved in every application for a grant of probate or confirmation, the majority are dealt with via probate registries in England and Wales or the Sheriff Court in Scotland.
	In the cases where HMRC is involved, where all the information relating to the application for a grant or confirmation is complete and correct, 98% are dealt with within five working days based on figures available for 2010-11.
	In cases where payment of tax due has not been made or there is documentation missing HMRC prioritise the follow up contact with the personal representatives of the estate to correct the position as quickly as possible.
	This work is treated as priority at all stages due to the sensitive nature of the work and the understanding that delays in issuing the grant of probate or confirmation can be distressing for the family of the deceased.

Stamp Duty Land Tax: Wales

Ian Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much and what proportion of stamp duty land tax he estimates was collected from transactions made in Wales in each of the last five years.

David Gauke: The estimated stamp duty land tax (SDLT) receipts for Wales is available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/stamp_duty/menu.htm
	
		
			 Annual estimates from 2005-06 to 2009-10 
			  Estimated SDLT receipts(£ million) Proportion of SDLT (UK) (%) 
			 2005-06 175 2.4 
			 2006-07 225 2.4 
			 2007-08 210 2.1 
			 2008-09 115 2.4 
			 2009-10 100 2.0

Taxation: Solar Power

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff of his Department have expertise on solar power.

Justine Greening: The Department for Energy and Climate Change is the lead Department on solar energy issues. The Treasury works closely with that Department and with others inside and outside Government who have expertise in this area.

Carbon Sequestration

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether steps to promote investment in carbon capture and storage in the UK were agreed at the clean emissions ministerial meeting in Abu Dhabi; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: No actions to promote carbon capture and storage in the UK specifically were agreed at the clean energy ministerial meeting. Energy Ministers endorsed a suite of recommendations for action over the coming year to promote the global deployment of CCS, recognising the need for international cooperation to advance policies and financial mechanisms and develop regulatory frameworks for safe, long-term geologic storage of carbon dioxide. The carbon capture use and Storage Action Group, led jointly by UK and Australia, will report progress toward these recommendations at the third ministerial, to be hosted in London in 2012.
	Further details are available from the clean energy ministerial website:
	www.cleanenergyministerial.org

Electricity Generation: Costs

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department has made of the levelised cost of each electricity generating technology; and what modelling assumptions were made in reaching this figure.

Charles Hendry: The tables are taken from Mott Macdonald (2010) and give levelised cost estimates (average generation cost per megawatt-hour) for new build plants in the main large-scale electricity generation technologies in the UK, including both fossil fuel and low carbon plant, at current engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract prices.
	It should be noted that for the purposes of presentation, the tables only give either ‘FOAK’ (first-of-a-kind) prices or ‘NOAK’ (nth-of-a-kind) prices for each technology. NOAK for established technologies and FOAK for those technologies which are yet to be built in the UK or benefit from learning. These are appropriate comparators for current costs.
	The full report including methodology and assumptions can be accessed via this link:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Statistics/Projections/71-uk-electricity-generation-costs-update-.pdf
	
		
			 Table 1: 10% discount rate, 2009 project start at today’s EPC prices, with mixed FOAK/NOAK 
			 Levelised cost Gas CC GT Gas CCGT with CCS (FOAK) ASC Coal ASC Coal with CCS (FOAK) Coal IGCC (FOAK) Coal IGCC with CCS (FOAK) Onshore wind Offshore wind (FOAK) Offshore wind R3 (FOAK) Nuclear PWR (FOAK) 
			 Capital Costs 12.4 29.8 33.4 74.1 61.7 82.0 79.2 124.1 144.6 77.3 
			 Fixed operating costs 3.7 7.7 8.6 18.6 9.7 17.7 14.6 36.7 45.8 12.2 
			 Variable operating costs 2.3 3.6 2.2 4.7 3.4 4.6 — — — 2.1 
			 Fuel Costs 46.9 65.0 19.9 28.7 20.3 28.3 — — — 5.3 
			 Carbon Costs 15.1 2.1 40.3 6.5 39.6 5.5 — — — "" 
		
	
	
		
			 Decomm and waste fund — — — — — — — — — 2.1 
			 CO2   transport and storage — 4.3 — 9.6 — 9.5 — — — — 
			 Steam Revenue — — — — — — — — — — 
			 Total levelised cost 80.3 112.5 104.5 142.1 134.6 147.6 93.9 160.9 190.5 99.0 
			 Source: Matt Macdonald (2010), UK Electricity Generation Costs Update, available at: http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Statistics/Projections/71-uk-electricity-generation-costs-update-.pdf 
		
	
	It should be noted that the estimates of levelised costs for different types of electricity generation are highly sensitive to the assumptions used for capital costs, fuel and EU ETS allowance prices, operating costs, load factor, and other drivers. Meaning that there is significant uncertainty around these estimates.
	In the year 2017, assuming that all technologies have been built at least once in the UK, the following NOAK costs may apply to all technologies, however, it should be noted that these costs are not considered achievable today.
	
		
			 Table 2: 10% discount rate, 2017 start at projected EPC prices, all NOAK 
			 Levelised cost Gas CCGT Gas CCGT with CCS ASC Coal ASC Coal with CCS Coal IGCC Coal IGCC with CCS Onshore wind Offshore wind Offshore wind R3 Nuclear PWR 
			 Capital Costs 11.2 20.7 28.7 47.8 33.7 46.5 71.7 89.4 97.0 49.6 
			 Fixed operating costs 3.7 6.0 8.6 13.8 8.0 12.3 — 23.0 30.9 9.1 
			 Variable operating costs 2.3 3.6 2.2 3.7 2.7 3.6 — — — 1.8 
			 Fuel Costs 49.8 64.7 19.9 27.6 19.6 27.2 — — — 5.2 
			 Carbon Costs 29.6 4.1 73.8 11.4 72.0 10.0 — — — — 
			 Decomm and waste fund — — — — — — — — — 2.1 
			 CO2 transport and storage — 3.5 — 7.6 — 7.5 — — — — 
			 Steam Revenue — — — — — — — — — — 
			 Total levelised cost 96.5 102.6 133.2 111.9 136.0 107.1 86.3 112.4 127.9 67.8 
			 Source: Matt Macdonald (2010), UK Electricity Generation Costs Update, available at: http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Statistics/Projections/71-uk-electricity-generation-costs-update-.pdf

Hinkley Point Power Stations

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will take steps to increase the proportion of small and medium-sized enterprises in the South West able to bid for contracts at Hinkley Point power station.

Charles Hendry: The Government are committed to developing the capability and competitiveness of the UK supply chain and are already taking steps to achieve this through initiatives such as the Nuclear Industry Association's sc@nuclear programme which is focused on engaging with SMEs.
	This and other initiatives such as the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and the Manufacturing Advisory Service are open to companies in the south-west as well as nationwide and are intended to put UK suppliers in the best possible position to compete for the opportunities that would be created by a new nuclear build programme.
	As part of all of this EDF has been working with the local community in the sout-west and have set up a website with the Somerset Chambers of Commerce and Industry Ltd where local companies can get more information on the opportunities at the proposed site at Hinkley Point and can register as contractors (for work which is directly related to construction at Hinkley Point or associated development) or indirect service suppliers (for services to EDF Energy and main contractors that are not directly related to on site activity such as taxi firms, accommodation providers, office supplies, local retailers etc).
	EDF has also invested £3 million in the Energy Skills Centre at Bridgwater college to help secure skilled jobs for local people on their project and plans to invest a further £1.5 million to establish a construction skills training centre at Bridgwater college, in partnership with the college. Other projects include an investment of £1.6 million in West Somerset Community college to support training in specific skills that will help people into employment on Hinkley Point and create an apprenticeship hub.
	We will continue to encourage EDF and other prospective licensees to engage with the UK and local supply chains to ensure that UK companies have the opportunity to compete for the benefits presented by nuclear new build in the UK and overseas.

Nuclear Power Stations: Safety

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what mechanism he has put in place to provide for independent monitoring of the effect of low-level radiation from nuclear energy generation (a) on land and (b) in the marine environment.

Charles Hendry: The Environment Agencies (the Environment Agency, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency), together with the Food Standards Agency, undertake independent monitoring programmes for radioactivity in the terrestrial and aquatic environments around nuclear installations in the UK. DEFRA, via the Environment Agencies, also funds seven extremely sensitive monitors for radioactivity in air, located across the UK, as our contribution to the Euratom monitoring programme.
	The results of these programmes are published annually in the “Radioactivity in Food and the Environment” report series. The latest report can be found at:
	http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/pdf/GEHO1010BTCY-e-e.pdf
	RIMNET is the UK’s nuclear radiation monitoring and nuclear emergency response system, established in 1988, and operated on behalf of DECC by the Meteorological Office. It includes 95 monitors stationed across the UK to detect increases in background levels of radiation. Any evidence of a nuclear incident abroad, of radiological significance for the UK, would result in a national alert being raised.
	Additionally, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) carries out gamma spectrometry tests on samples collected from around the UK, including sites in Glasgow and Oxfordshire.

Radioactive Waste

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what quantities of operational (a) low, (b) intermediate and (c) high level nuclear waste have been created to date as a result of the UK's civil nuclear power programme; and what assessment he has made of the volumes of decommissioning waste that will be created from (i) the existing nuclear programme and (ii) any future new build programme.

Charles Hendry: The United Kingdom Radioactive Waste Inventory is currently updated every three years with the most recent update published on 22 March 2011. The inventory describes the stocks of radioactive waste and radioactive materials held in the UK at 1 April 2010 as well as those that are predicted to arise from the operation and decommissioning of current facilities in the future.
	The inventory includes wastes produced from a number of programmes including the generation of electricity in nuclear power stations, the associated production and processing of nuclear fuel, the use of radioactive materials in industry, medicine and research, and from some military nuclear programmes. The following table sets out the waste volumes resulting from these programmes, stored in the UK at 1 April 2010, as well as estimated arisings from current facilities in the future. The table does not include waste which has already been disposed of. Further information is available in the inventory reports available at:
	www.nda.gov.uk/ukinventory/
	
		
			  Stored waste at 1 April 2010 (m   (3)   ) Future  arisings (m   (3)   ) Total (m   (3)   ) 
			 Low Level Waste (LLW) 66,000 4,360,000 4,430,000 
			 Intermediate Level Waste (ILW) 94,300 192,000 287,000 
			 High Level Waste (HLW) 1,620 -601 1,020 
			 Total 162,000 4,550,000 4,720,000 
			 Notes 1. Future arisings of HLW have negative volumes. This is because Sellafield has reported future arisings of HLW to show that the volume of accumulated waste (liquid plus vitrified product) will fall as liquid waste existing at 1.4.2010 and forecast in the future is conditioned to a vitrified product. 2. HL W is the product of reprocessing the spent fuel from current reactors. 
		
	
	In terms of the amount of radioactive waste that would arise as a result of a future new build programme this would depend on such issues as the number and the type of reactors. Based on an assumption of a new build fleet comprised of four AP 1000 reactors and four EPR reactors operating for 60 years and generating 10GW, disposability assessments undertaken by NDA suggest that the estimated amount of intermediate level waste could be of the order of 25,000 cubic meters and an estimated amount of spent fuel of about 20,000 cubic meters. Based on the same assumptions, the low level waste management company, LLW Repository Ltd, has estimated that approximately 80,000 cubic meters of LLW might be produced.

Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effect on (a) investor confidence and (b) risk perception of proposed changes to the feed-in tariff scheme; and what steps his Department is taking to minimise any negative consequences for renewables investment beyond the solar sector.

Gregory Barker: A key objective for the feed-in tariffs review is to provide industry with transparency, longevity and certainty to enable sustainable growth. The fast-track consultation reflects this. Firstly through proposals to address the risk of larger solar PV installations distorting funding for other smaller and domestic scale installations as well as other technologies. And secondly through proposals to address the disappointing uptake of farm-scale anaerobic digestion plants to date.
	The coalition remains committed to increasing the levels of renewable energy deployment in line with meeting the target for renewable energy set by the 2009 EU renewable energy directive. We are working to remove financial and non-financial barriers to deployment of all renewables and will be publishing a renewables roadmap by summer recess. This will clearly identify how the 2020 renewables target will be achieved, and will give clarity to markets of what will be required, helping to provide greater certainty to investors and the developers of new technology.

Warm Front Scheme

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department has made of the potential number of jobs lost as a result of the reduction in funding for the Warm Front scheme in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12.

Gregory Barker: Estimated job losses are a matter for the Warm Front contractor and their subcontractors. We expect contractors to continue to utilise the job opportunities that a number of other schemes provide; these include the carbon emissions reduction target extension, the Community Energy Saving Programme, feed-in tariffs and the renewable heat incentive.

Abortion

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on proposals to widen the class of place in which abortions are permitted to take place.

Anne Milton: There are no plans to use the provision under section 1 (3a) of the Abortion Act 1967 to widen the class of place in which abortions are permitted to take place.

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many abortions on the grounds of rectifiable disabilities were performed after 24 weeks' gestation in each of the last five years for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many abortions there were at (a) 26 weeks and (b) each week after the 26th in each category of grounds for termination in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Anne Milton: Information on the number of abortions that are 24 weeks and over by principle medical condition, if performed under section 1(1)(d) of the Abortion Act, has been placed in the Library. Abortions performed under this section are those where
	‘there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped’.
	Medical conditions recorded under section 1(1)(d) are coded using the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (10th edition) published by the World Health Organisation. This classification does not split diseases and related health problems into those that are rectifiable and those that are not.
	Information on the number of abortions at 26 weeks and each week after the 26th can be found in the following table for the periods 2003 to 2005 and 2006 to 2008. The figures for individual years are too small to be released. For the periods 2003 to 2005 and 2006 to 2008, the total abortions performed under grounds other than E, for abortions at 26 weeks and over, was less than 10 (between 0 and 9).
	
		
			 Number of abortions by gestations at 26 weeks and over, 2003-08 
			  Three year total 
			 Gestation weeks 2003-05 2006-08 
			 26 52 45 
			 27 21 31 
			 28 25 24 
			 29 20 26 
			 30 11 22 
			 31 15 12 
			 32 17 30 
			 33 12 14 
			 34 15 12 
			 35 and over 19 25 
			 Total 207 241

Cancer

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has plans to support the development of holistic needs assessments and care planning for cancer patients to take account of individual needs related to (a) age, (b) gender, (c) ethnicity, (d) educational attainment, (e) disability, (f) sexual orientation and (g) socio-economic group; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: All people with long-term conditions, including those with cancer should have their needs assessed and be offered personalised care planning. This should be tailored to their specific needs and circumstance, taking account of age, gender, ethnic and cultural background, educational attainment, disability, sexual orientation socio-economic status and mental health. The Government are committed to a patient-led national health service, strengthening patient’s choice and management of their own care. Proactive, preventive and personalised care planning with a focus on shared decision making fully supports these aims and will continue to be supported.

CJD

Paul Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in how many cases the presence of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease has been evident in biopsies carried out following the death of a patient with haemophilia in the last 20 years.

Anne Milton: Abnormal prion protein associated with variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease has been found in a single spleen sample taken from one haemophilia patient at post mortem. Details can be found in “Peden A, McCardle L, Head MW et at. Variant CJD infection in the spleen of a neurologically asymptomatic UK adult patient with haemophilia. Haemophilia 2010; 16: 296-304”. The journal Haemophilia is available on line at:
	www.wiley.com/bw/journal.asp?ref=1351-8216

Fluoride

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department issues to strategic health authorities on the factors to take into account in determining whether to use fluoride in the local water supply.

Anne Milton: The Chief Dental Officer's letter ‘Fluoridation of Drinking Water’, issued in February 2008 under Gateway reference 9361, refers. A copy has already been placed in the Library and is available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Lettersandcirculars/Dearcolleagueletters/DH_082666
	The Health and Social Care Bill proposes that responsibility for consultations on proposals for fluoridation schemes should transfer to local authorities, in which case we will issue revised guidance on the conduct of consultations and taking account of public opinion.

Mental Health Services

Robert Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the commissioning of (a) high security, (b) medium security, (c) low security and (d) community forensic mental health services by GP consortia and the NHS Commissioning Board.

Paul Burstow: The Health and Social Care Bill, which was presented to Parliament on 19 January 2011, completed its Committee Stage on 31 March. Clause 12 of the Health and Social Care Bill (subject to parliamentary approval) amends the National Health Services Act 2006 to remove from the Secretary of State the duty to provide high secure mental health services and place a duty instead on the National Health Service Commissioning Board to arrange for the provision of these services. The Secretary of State informed the House of Commons on 4 April that the Department is taking the opportunity of a natural break in the passage of the Bill to pause, listen, and engage with all those who want the NHS to succeed, and subsequently to bring forward amendments to improve the Bill further.
	Following on from this, the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State launched an engagement exercise on 6 April. To oversee the NHS listening exercise, the Department has brought together the NHS Future Forum, a group of patient representatives, clinicians and others from the health field, including frontline staff, to drive the process of engagement with staff, patients and communities. Further information about the NHS Future Forum and the listening exercise is available on the website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/healthandcare
	People who wish to get involved can read more about the listening exercise and leave comments publicly on the website. By June, Ministers will decide how to take forward the Bill in a way that reflects what has been heard. Following this, decisions about the commissioning of secure and community forensic mental health services in the new NHS will be made.

Muscular Dystrophy

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been by the NHS East of England Specialised Commissioning Group in recruiting and appointing three neuromuscular care advisors for the region; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: We have been advised by the East of England Strategic Health Authority that the East of England Specialised Commissioning Group is working with the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign to confirm arrangements for the recruitment of three East of England Neuro-muscular Care Pathway Co-ordinators. The East of England Specialised Commissioning Group expects to advertise the posts during May.

NHS Blood and Transplant

Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what in-house functions his Department is assessing as part of the review of NHS Blood and Transplant; whether members of the public are able to monitor progress in the review; and if he will take steps to ensure that private companies are able to tender to deliver any services that the review concludes should be outsourced.

Anne Milton: The review is examining NHS Blood and Transplant’s (NHSBT’s) non-donor facing activities such as information technology, estates, testing, processing and logistics, to help NHSBT further improve the efficiency of its operations. The review is currently work in progress and there are no plans to report publicly on the interim stages of process. A final report will come to Ministers for their consideration in the summer.
	If, in the future, NHSBT chooses to hold a competitive tendering exercise for work that assists it in carrying out its functions, that will be a matter for NHSBT. Any public procurement has to follow the good practice of having an open and competitive process.
	NHSBT will remain in the public sector and remain accountable to the Secretary of State for Health for all of its functions.

Pesticides: Poisoning

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the incidence of pesticide poisoning was per 100,000 population in each region in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many UK citizens were diagnosed with pesticide poisoning in each of the last 10 years.

Anne Milton: This information is not available. Data on the incidence or diagnosis of pesticide poisoning is not available for the United Kingdom or by region.

UN Summit on Non-Communicable Diseases

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will request that the Prime Minister attend the High Level UN Summit on Non-Communicable Diseases on 19 to 20 September 2011.

Anne Milton: As with all United Nations General Assembly meetings, we will be deciding closer to the time how best to represent United Kingdom interests at the United Nations High Level meeting on non-communicable diseases. The decision on attendance will certainly take into account the importance the UK Government place on tackling the burden of non-communicable disease domestically and globally, as well as the need for efficient use of taxpayers' money in funding overseas trips.

British Overseas Territories: Finance

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how the criteria of poverty reduction, results and value for money were used to determine the budget line for the Overseas Territories in his Department's bilateral aid review.

Andrew Mitchell: The UK is obliged under the UN Charter to promote the well-being of the inhabitants of the Overseas Territories (OTs). The 2002 International Development Act exempts the Territories from the poverty criteria that apply to the rest of the aid budget. Successive White Papers on international development, including those produced since 1997, have committed the British Government to meeting the “reasonable needs” of the OTs as a first call on the aid budget.
	Rigorous results and value for money assessments form part of aid settlements that are agreed with OT governments requiring assistance from the British Government. Capital investments and technical co-operation programmes agreed with OT governments are subject to competition to ensure the best value for taxpayers. Commitments are monitored regularly. The Department of International Development (DFID) now uses Her Majesty's Treasury's business case model for all new investments. This further ensures that aid spent in the OTs is focused on clear results and value for money outcomes. Unlike DFID's country aid relationships, our support to the territories is not discretionary. The ultimate goal is to accelerate aid-dependent territories towards self-sufficiency.

Conflict Prevention: Finance

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department provided in funding to the Conflict Pool in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10.

Andrew Mitchell: The Conflict Pool’s resources are part of a separate HM Treasury settlement on conflict resources which is managed jointly by the Department for International Department (DFID), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD). Conflict funding for 2008/09 and 2009/10 was provided as part of the 2007 comprehensive spending review (CSR) settlement. In 2008/09 the Conflict Prevention Pool and the Stabilisation Aid Fund disbursed around £185 million. In 2009/10, the two funds were merged to create the Conflict Pool, which disbursed around £180 million.
	All three Departments can provide additional funds to the pool for specific purposes when required. In 2008/09, DFID provided £1.2 million to supplement specific Conflict Prevention Pool programmes in South Asia and Africa. In 2009/10, FCO, MOD and DFID together provided an additional £20 million for stabilisation activities in Helmand, of which DFID’s share was £11.5 million. All DFID contributions are subject to the rules governing official development assistance (ODA) spending laid down by OECD DAC.

International Assistance

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the outcomes were of the World Bank spring meetings held on 15 to 17 April; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Mitchell: Discussions at the World Bank spring meetings focused on the Bank's work in fragile and conflict affected states and current events in the Middle East and North Africa. I am pleased that, at those meetings, the World Bank agreed to strengthen its support to the region, working with governments and relevant multilateral, regional and bilateral organisations. Governors endorsed the World Development Report on Conflict, Security and Development, and encouraged the Bank to incorporate lessons from the report into its policies and operations in order to improve performance in fragile states.
	The World Bank approach to energy was also discussed. In my statement to the World Bank Development Committee I emphasised the importance of the Bank's role to support the global climate change agenda, including by promoting renewable energy sources. I indicated that we would continue to work closely with the Bank on this agenda, which includes their forthcoming energy strategy.
	World Bank Governors also addressed ongoing concerns about food price volatility, the Bank's role as interim trustee of the Green Climate Fund, and the World Bank Group's strategic direction.

International Assistance

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he raised the issue of the World Bank's funding of fossil fuel projects at the World Bank spring meetings in April 2011.

Andrew Mitchell: In my statement to the World Bank Development Committee I emphasised the Bank’s role to support the global climate change agenda, including by promoting renewable energy sources. I indicated that we would continue to work closely with the Bank on this agenda, which includes their forthcoming energy strategy. My statement is available on the World Bank website at:
	http://archive.iwlearn.net/web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/DEVCOMMEXT/0,,menuPK_60001657_ pagePK_64001141_piPK_64001176_theSitePK_277473,00.html.tmp
	The Department for International Development (DFID) has actively engaged with the World Bank as they have developed their energy strategy. DFID has strongly supported the World Bank ambition to increase lending for clean energy and the Bank's shift away from lending for coal fired power stations.

Students: Finance

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what budget was allocated to communicating student finance arrangements to prospective students in each year from 1999-2000 to 2010-11.

David Willetts: An annual breakdown of expenditure on communicating student finance arrangements, including to prospective students, from 1999-2000 to 2010-11 is provided in the following table. As records are only required to be kept for seven years, not all data is available.
	The Student Loans Company was also allocated part of the Department’s publicity budget to provide some technical information to students and from 2009/10 responsibility for providing information to students was delegated to the Student Loans Company. A breakdown of the allocation made by the Student Loans Company is also provided in the table.
	The Department considers it essential to ensure that prospective students and their families know about the full package of support available, to support access to higher education. This Department is working with the Central Office of Information to develop an effective and proportionate information campaign.
	We have appointed an advertising agency to support this campaign and expect their costs to be in the region of £150,000, including their charges for production of press and online advertisements. The budget for chosen media is yet to be determined.
	
		
			 £ 
			 Financial year Department for Business, Innovation and Skills student finance publicity budget Student Loans Company communications budget 
			 1999-2000 (1)— (1)— 
			 2000-01 90,000 (1)— 
			 2001-02 1,660,000 (1)— 
			 2002-03 2,025,000 (1)— 
			 2003-04 4,000,000 (1)— 
			 2004-05 2,000,000 280,598 
			 2005-06 4,500,000 1,483,900 
			 2006-07 4,100,000 1,097,092 
			 2007-08 4,500,000 3,288,351 
			 2008-09 4,000,000 2,851,560 
			 2009-10 60,000 5,263,030 
			 2010-11 150,000 1,650,243 
			 (1) Data not available.

Unionlearn

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2011, Official Report, columns 720-22W, on trade unions: training, if he will publish a detailed breakdown on how all funding from the public purse has been spent by the Union Learning Fund and Union Learn in each year since 2007-08.

John Hayes: holding answer 28 April 2011
	The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) provides funding directly to the Trades Union Congress (TUC) under an annual grant agreement to support the Union Learning Fund (ULF) and unionlearn, the TUC's learning and skills organisation. The main purpose of this budget is to enable trade unions and Union Learning Representatives (ULRs) to work with employers, employees and learning providers to encourage greater take up of learning and raise skill levels in the workplace.
	A detailed breakdown of the direct grant funding that was allocated by BIS and its predecessor Departments for each of the last three financial years is set out in the following table. Final details for the 2010-11 financial year will not be available until June 2011. The TUC also publishes an annual report for unionlearn which sets out in more detail how the funding has been used each year. The reports for 2008, 2009 and 2010 are available on the TUC's unionlearn website:
	http://www.unionlearn.org.uk/publications/index.cfm
	
		
			 £ 
			  2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 
			 Total staffing costs (including on costs) 3,777,263 4,495,536 4,850,137 
			 Administration, accommodation and overheads 1,251,187 1,434,463 1,536,548 
			 Union Learning Fund (grants to unions for ULF projects) 13,371,550 15,470,001 15,113,315 
			 Total unionlearn grant funding 18,400,000 21,400,000 21,500,000 
		
	
	The TUC has also received funding to support unionlearn activity at a regional level from the Skills Funding Agency (formerly the Learning and Skills Council) and a number of regional development agencies all of which received grant funding from BIS' predecessor Departments. Detailed information relating to such expenditure will be held at a regional level for audit purposes but is not recorded centrally. An exercise to research and collate such information for each SFA region and RDA would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold.

Departmental Official Cars

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on what date (a) he and (b) each other Minister in his Department last used a Ministerial car while travelling in an official capacity; and how many times (i) he and (ii) each other Minister in his Department has travelled to their constituency in a ministerial car since May 2010.

Chris Grayling: For security reasons, the Department prefers not to give details of individual ministerial journeys.
	Nevertheless, in a typical week members of the ministerial team do make regular use of the ministerial car service to travel in an official capacity.
	As of 5 April, the Secretary of State, the Minister for Employment and the Minister for Pensions last used the ministerial car service on 4 April.
	As of 5 April, the Minister for Welfare Reform last used the service on 1 April and the Minister for Disabled People on 5 April.
	Section 10 of the Ministerial Code provides guidance on travel for Ministers and makes clear that Ministers must ensure that they always make efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements

Disability

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of staff in (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies was registered disabled in each of the last five years.

Chris Grayling: The information is contained in the following table.
	The table sets out information about the numbers of staff who have declared themselves to be disabled. Whilst the department encourages staff to make a declaration, declaration is voluntary.
	We are aware that not all disabled staff do declare that they consider themselves to be disabled, and the true figure may be higher than the figures shown. For example, the 2010 DWP Staff survey (which is completed anonymously), showed that 11.2% of respondents considered themselves to have a long standing health condition or disability. According to the latest figures provided (December 2010), 6.5% of the workforce has declared themselves to be disabled.
	
		
			 Date Department/agency Percentage disabled 
			 December 2010 DWP total 6.5 
			  Job Centre Plus 7.0 
			  Pension, Disability and Carers Service 5.3 
			 March 2010 DWP total 6.3 
			  Job Centre Plus 6.8 
			  Pension, Disability and Carers Service 5.1 
			 2009 DWP total 6.1 
			  Job Centre Plus 6.7 
			  The Pension Service 4.0 
			  Disability and Carers Service 6.2 
			 2008 DWP total 5.7 
			  Job Centre Plus 6.7 
			  The Pension Service 3.7 
			  Disability and Carers Service 6.1 
			  Child Support Agency 3.4 
			 2007 DWP total 5.5 
			  Job Centre Plus 6.4 
			  The Pension Service 3.4 
			  Disability and Carers Service 5.9 
			  Child Support Agency 3.4 
			 2006 DWP total 5.2 
			  Job Centre Plus 6.4 
			  The Pension Service 3.7 
			  Disability and Carers Service 5.5 
			  Child Support Agency 2.7 
			 Notes: The figures exclude all staff who have not declared their disability status.

Employment and Support Allowance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what estimate has been made of the number of recipients of contributory employment and support allowance in the work-related activity group for (a) with and (b) without one year time-limiting in force in each financial year from 2011-12 to 2015-16;
	(2)  what estimate has been made of the proportion of contributory employment and support allowance recipients in the work-related activity group who will be affected by a one-year time limit.

Chris Grayling: As part of the Welfare Reform Bill, we have set out our intention to introduce a time limit of one year for those claiming contributory employment and support allowance (ESA) and who are placed in the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG).
	The following table shows the estimated future recipients of contributory ESA in the Work Related Activity Group and Assessment Phase with and without time-limiting in force. Assessment Phase cases have been included as the legislation intends for them to be eligible for time-limiting if their duration on contributory ESA is 12 months or more. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 50,000 claimants and are based on Budget 2011 forecasts.
	
		
			 Contributory ESA caseload in the WRAG/Assessment Phase With time limiting in force Without time limiting in force 
			 2011-12 400,000 400,000 
			 2012-13 350,000 600,000 
			 2013-14 400,000 800,000 
			 2014-15 350,000 900,000 
			 2015-16 200,000 900,000 
		
	
	The legislation intends for all recipients of contributory ESA in the WRAG to be eligible for time-limiting after 12 months. It is estimated that in steady state, without time-limiting, around 77% of contributory ESA claimants in the Work Related Activity Group or Assessment Phase would have duration of 12 months or more. However, latest estimates suggest that of those affected by the proposal to time limit contributory ESA, around 60% are expected to be fully or partially compensated by income-related ESA, so will retain entitlement to ESA.
	More information is available in the ESA Time-Limiting Impact Assessment published on the Department for Work and Pensions website, at the following link:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/welfare-reform/legislation-and-key-documents/welfare-reform-bill-2011/index.shtml#ia

Employment Schemes: Scotland

Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the subcontractors to the prime contractors for the Work Programme in Scotland; which such subcontractors operate in the (a) private and (b) voluntary sector; which are defined as small and medium-sized enterprises; and what proportion of each prime contract each subcontract represents.

Chris Grayling: The Department have encouraged and facilitated the Work Programme bidders to engage with voluntary organisations as partners or sub-contractors to deliver the Work Programme. The Work Programme will provide significant opportunities for partnership and collaboration for voluntary and community sector.
	To deliver the overall provision prime contractors will need to underpin delivery by the use of sub-contractors to ensure the individual needs of all customers are met at local level.
	As contracts have not yet been awarded I am unable to provide further details at this time.
	It is not within the Department's remit to specify the composition of the preferred bidders' supply chain prior to contract award. Post tender discussions are currently under way with preferred bidders and contracts have not yet been awarded.
	Further details on the bids and the nature of the contracts will be published post contract award; this may also include additional information regarding the prime providers supply chain.

Employment Schemes: Scotland

Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what involvement the Scottish Government has had in the design and delivery of the Work Programme to address issues specific to Scotland.

Chris Grayling: The Government have established a Scottish Employability Forum (SEF), jointly Chaired by the Jobcentre Plus Customer Service Delivery and Scottish Government Director for Life Long Learning.
	It is attended by senior representatives of Jobcentre Plus, Scottish Government, Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and other strategic partners, to provide an infrastructure for strategic level discussion and consultation. The SEF is underpinned by the National Delivery Group (its operational arm). This allowed for Scottish Government, working with Jobcentre Plus and DWP, to have direct input into the development of the Work Programme in Scotland.

Employment Schemes: Voluntary Organisations

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the compatibility with the provisions of EU competition law of setting a requirement in tender criteria for the Work Programme that 30 per cent. of contracts should be awarded to the voluntary sector.

Chris Grayling: Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) did not specify a minimum level of third sector/not for profit participation in the delivery of the Work Programme in the tender criteria, we did provide information on the current provision and the levels of third sector involvement.

Employment Schemes: Voluntary Organisations

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what mechanism he proposes to use to ensure that at least 30 per cent. of contracts awarded through the work programme are directed to companies operating on a not-for-profit basis.

Chris Grayling: EU procurement regulations preclude us from favouring any sector or being able to stipulate quotas for particular groups, either for prime provider bids or within the bidders delivery chain. However, throughout the procurement process DWP has encouraged bidders to engage with the voluntary and community sector.
	As part of the evaluation Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) closely scrutinised each bidder’s partnership proposals within their tenders, particularly when considering the supply chain and service requirement criteria, to ensure that the level of community and voluntary sector involvement is commensurate with the needs of Work Programme customers.

Employment Schemes: Voluntary Organisations

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the tender criteria for the award of Work Programme contracts contained an explicit requirement that a minimum percentage of contracts should be awarded to the voluntary sector; and whether the successful tenders in Scotland fulfilled this criterion.

Chris Grayling: Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) did not specify a minimum level of third sector/not for profit participation in the delivery of the Work Programme in the tender criteria, we did provide information on the current provision and the levels of third sector involvement.

Housing Benefit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of households that will be subject to the total cap on benefit entitlement which live in (a) private rented accommodation, (b) private accommodation obtained by a local authority under prevention and relief of homelessness duties, (c) temporary accommodation, (d) social rented accommodation, (e) owner-occupied accommodation and (f) other forms of accommodation.

Steve Webb: If the benefit cap is applied in full it is estimated, that around 70% of those affected will be living in social housing.
	This estimated number of households affected by the benefit cap is based on survey data using the Department for Work and Pension's Policy Simulation Model. Sample sizes are too small to yield reliable results for other sub groups of those affected by the benefit cap.

Incapacity Benefit

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants were in receipt of (a) incapacity benefit only, (b) incapacity benefit in combination with any other benefit, broken down by type of benefit, (c) any single benefit other than incapacity benefit, broken down by type of benefit and (d) any combination of benefits, other than those involving incapacity benefit, broken down by type of combination in each of the last five years; and what the average weekly level of benefit received by a claimant was in each category in each such year.

Chris Grayling: Information on the average weekly amounts in payment for benefit combinations can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The other information requested is given in the following table.
	
		
			 Client group all ages caseload: Benefit combination at the dates shown. Great Britain and abroad 
			 Thousand 
			  August 2006 August 2007 August 2008 August 2009 August 2010 
			 Total 17,524.35 17,613.04 17,886.19 18,802.96 18,821.60 
			 SP only 7,842.67 8,008.84 8,178.33 8,359.15 8,496.83 
			 SP and PC/IS 1,207.06 1,170.17 1,127.76 1,102.53 1,083.67 
			 JSA only 882.55 770.9 848.69 1,454.71 1,315.74 
			 IB only 757.13 717.04 671.44 498.35 414.25 
			 SP and AA 808.4 828.68 858.81 895.8 918.62 
			 IS/PC only 898.34 890.47 877.19 854.37 810.68 
			 IS/PC, SP and AA 737.63 741.49 738.48 735.68 726.39 
			 DLA only 615.66 647.58 678.24 702.24 735.93 
			 IS/PC and IB 622.01 606.51 587.13 467.65 397.2 
			 IB and DLA 532.82 537.44 539.83 514.18 480.26 
			 SP and DLA 473.26 494.21 514.19 533.32 546.4 
			 IS/PC, IB and DLA 485.91 505.03 525.46 525.17 508.7 
			 IS/PC, SP and DLA 306.92 325.32 342.41 360.31 373.76 
			 CA only 272.53 275.93 287.73 297.65 311.23 
			 IS/PC, DLA and SDA 182.6 177.88 172.49 167.15 162.23 
			 IS/PC and CA 140.46 144.55 151.58 166.03 183.34 
			 CA and SP 132.18 142.27 152.07 159.57 161.34 
			 WB only 91.26 73.98 59.34 47.35 39.91 
			 DLA, SDA 62.75 57.74 53.49 49.76 46.51 
			 IS/PC, CA and SP 67.63 73.21 78.68 81.71 83.32 
			 SDA only 9.34 8.3 7.45 6.71 6.08 
			 SDA and IS/PC 15.58 13.64 12.07 10.78 9.72 
			 ESA (1)— (1)— (1)— 304.18 418.32 
			 ESA and DLA (1)— (1)— (1)— 62.12 134.78 
			 Other combination 379.65 401.86 423.32 446.46 456.4 
			 (1) Nil or negligible. Notes: 1. Benefits included are jobseeker's allowance (JSA), income support (IS), pension credit (PC), incapacity benefit (IB), severe disablement allowance (SDA), disability living allowance (DLA) (from May 2002), carer's allowance (CA), bereavement benefit (BB)/widow's benefit (WB), state pension, attendance allowance and national insurance credits only (through JSA or IB). 2. Figures are shown in thousands and rounded to the nearest 10. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. Employment and support allowance (ESA). ESA replaced incapacity benefit and income support paid on the grounds of incapacity for new claims from 27 October 2008. 4. Caseload data is available on the Department's tabulation tool at: http://83.244.183.180/100pc/tabtool.html Source:  DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.

Jobcentre Plus: Social Workers

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many unfilled senior care worker posts are listed at Jobcentre Plus.

Chris Grayling: National Statistics on unfilled vacancies held by Jobcentre Plus are published monthly on the NOMIS labour market statistics portal
	https://www.nomisweb.co.uk
	There are two types of unfilled vacancy data available, total unfilled and live unfilled, and these can be broken down by occupation using the 2000 version of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 2000). The latest data available is for March 2011.
	The lowest-level occupational data available on NOMIS is for care assistants and home carers (SOC code 6115). This includes senior care workers, as well as domiciliary care workers, home carers, personal carers, carers (welfare services) and caseworkers (welfare services). The Jobcentre Plus unfilled vacancy data available on NOMIS cannot be broken down any further to identify unfilled vacancies for senior care workers only.
	In March 2011, Jobcentre Plus held 42,787 unfilled vacancies for care assistants and home carers. This includes all unfilled vacancies held by Jobcentre Plus including vacancies which have been suspended pending closure, and as such are not available to jobseekers.
	The live unfilled vacancies data therefore provides a better reflection of the number of vacancies available to jobseekers. In March 2011, Jobcentre Plus held 30,272 live unfilled vacancies for care assistants and home carers, which includes live unfilled vacancies for senior care workers.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseekers who missed interview sessions were contacted by jobcentre staff to prompt their attendance during the Newcastle jobcentre pilot project in 2010; and how many of these (a) lost their benefit and (b) were paid benefit.

Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Mathew Nicholas
	The Secretary of State has asked Darra Singh to reply to your question concerning how many jobseekers who missed interview sessions were contacted by jobcentre staff to prompt their attendance during the Newcastle jobcentre pilot project in 2010; and how many of these (a) lost their benefit and (b) were paid benefit. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to Darra Singh as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. As Darra Singh is currently on annual leave, I am replying in his absence.
	In June of 2010, Newcastle-Under-Lyme Jobcentre conducted a short trial during which they tried to contact by telephone jobseekers who had missed a mandatory appointment. Jobseekers were asked to attend the Jobcentre for their appointment the same day to help avoid any potential loss of benefit. The trial was carried out for a period of six weeks. Early evaluation showed that the number of successful calls was very low and the trial was discontinued. No records were kept about the number of jobseekers who lost or were paid benefit as a result of these telephone calls.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what targets are set for jobcentre staff in respect of referring jobseekers for sanctions; what criteria are used; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Mathew Nicholas
	The Secretary of State for Work and for Pensions has asked Darra Singh to reply to your question asking what targets are set for jobcentre staff in respect of referring jobseekers for sanctions; and what criteria are used. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to Darra Singh as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. As Darra Singh is currently on annual leave, I am replying in his absence.
	I can confirm that no such targets exist and that we have reinforced this message to our District Managers. Sanctions should only be made where people have not adhered to their jobseeker obligations.
	I hope this information is helpful.

Social Security Benefits: Autism

Steve Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will consider the merits of allowing people with an autism spectrum disorder to appoint an independent advocate to help them during the benefits assessment process.

Chris Grayling: We recognise that attending any medical assessment can be a stressful experience, and that these will not be carried out if there is enough existing evidence on the customers current condition to decide entitlement to the particular benefit in question. The healthcare professionals who carry out the examinations are trained in assessing vulnerable customers, and when people are asked to come for an assessment they are positively encouraged to bring someone with them, this may be an advocate.
	Additionally, there are already provisions in place for individuals who have more severe conditions and are unable to act on their own behalf. In these circumstances an advocate may be appointed to act on the individual's behalf and take responsibility for all matters relating their welfare benefits.

State Retirement Pensions

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people who will experience a delay in their state pension age of more than a year as a result of the proposed timetable for accelerating the state pension age live in (a) each region, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland.

Steve Webb: The Department's estimates, made on the basis of the mid-2009 ONS population estimates, of the approximate number of women whose state pension age will increase by more than a year are set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Thousands 
			 East Midlands 38 
			 East of England 49 
			 London 52 
			 North East 23 
			 North West 58 
			 South East 71 
			 South West 47 
			 West Midlands 45 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 43 
			 Scotland 46 
			 Wales 27 
			 Northern Ireland 14